27158137
Kadeem Custis had plenty of options when it came to Division I scholarship offers. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound offensive/defensive lineman also had time to make additional official visits and discuss his future with family members.
He didn’t need it.
When one school rolled out the cherry-red carpet trying to lure the prize recruit, he was sold. The Neumann-Goretti senior made it official at a Dec. 18 school press conference that Temple University is where he will spend the next four years.
"It’s a real special moment for me," Custis said of picking Temple. "When [recruiting] started out, I told [the coaches] how much I wanted my family to be involved. They came to my [younger] brother’s basketball games and kept telling me they weren’t trying to pressure me into making a decision."
NCAA rules permit recruits to make five official visits to campuses, spending a weekend with the players and coaches. Following stays at Temple and West Virginia earlier this month, the student-athlete decided trips to North Carolina State, Pittsburgh and Connecticut were unnecessary.
"They were the two schools recruiting me before my junior year," Custis, who plans to major in kneisiology and minor in business management, said of Temple and West Virginia. "I didn’t want to waste time going on unnecessary recruiting visits when I knew I wanted to go to [Temple] in the long run."
Suiting up for the Owls could mean immediate time on the field as coach Al Golden is known for playing a lot of freshmen. Earlier in the recruiting process, Custis said it was no secret West Virginia was his top choice, but it was before "Temple invited me to be part of their family."
Being in Philly is another plus as the Owls hold home games at Lincoln Financial Field.
"Playing close to home will give my family a chance to come and see me play," he said. "I want to have that support during my stressful four years in college."
Temple, a member of the Mid-American Conference, is coming off a 5-7 season in which two of the contests were decided in overtime.
Maybe Custis will become the player that puts the Owls over the top and into bowl contention. For now, the student-athlete can relax; the pressure’s off.
"I went with my gut that Temple was the right place to go," the First Team All-Catholic selection said. SPR
Contact Managing Editor Bill Gelman at bgelman@southphillyreview.com or ext. 123. Comment at www.southphillyreview.com/sports.EAGLES TRIVIA WINNER
Franco Modafferi, of the 1600 block of South 12th Street, won a $50 gift certificate to McFadden’s for answering the Eagles trivia questions correctly. The correct responses in order were, Swoop, ESPN and Brian Dawkins. To enter, visit www.southphillyreview.com/eagles.
